Hair drier



March 17, 1953 F. c. SCHWANEKE 2,631,380

HAIR DRIER Filed Nov. 2, 1949 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Q M Q I N VEN TOR. [56d 6 jcfiwarza ze,

March 17, 1953 F. c. SCHWANEKE HAIR DRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 2, 1949 INVENTOR.

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March 17, 1953 F.- c. SCHWANEKE 2,631,380

HAIR DRIER Filed Nov. 2, 1949 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented Mar. 17, 1953 HAIR DRIER Fred C. Schwaneke, Chicago, 111., assignor to Dormeyer Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application November 2, 1949, Serial No. 125,001

14 Claims.

This invention relates generally to hair driers and more particularly to an improved electrically heated, blower equipped hair drier which is suitable for use in the home as well as in beauty parlors, barber shops, and the like.

Virtually all the modern electric hair driers comprise a fan or impeller for producing a stream of air and a heating element which heats the air stream above room temperature to decrease the relative humidity thereof and thereby increase its further moisture absorptivity. The heated stream is directed against the hair of the user either by a shell which fits over the head or a directional nozzle.

Hair driers may be classified into two broad classes, namely (1) those in which the air is merely heated and passed over the hair a single time, and (2) those in which a large portion of the air is recirculated over the heater and the hair again and again. The latter type is more economical to operate than the other because it dries the hair more efficiently, and does not raise the ambient room temperature nearly so much. This is particularly important when a number of driers are in use in a single room as is frequently the cas in beauty shops. However, recirculating of the air over the hair and heater fouls the machine and makes itunsanitary in a short time without repeated cleaning by experts and requires a bulky hood arrangement too expensive and cumbersome for use in a home.

The higher efficiency of the recirculating type is due to the fact that, although substantially the same quantity of heat units is required to raise air from 70F. to 100 F. as is required additionally to raise air from 100 F. to 130 F., once the air has been warmed the first time to 100, the drying capacity of air at 130 F. is over twice as great as at 100 F. because of the humidity saturation point which increases non-lineally as the air temperature rises, and because the air is still far from being saturated after a single pass over the hair at the higher temperature, which temperature is just below the threshold of pain for sensitive scalps.

Accordingly, a main object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive recirculating drier which is compactly and simply constructed so as to be suitable for; home use and for maintenance by the housewife with a minimum amount of at tention.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hair drier which uses relatively little electric current yet dries the hair more. quickly than conventional driers of the same type.

Another object is to provide a sanitary recirculating drier in which the parts engaging a persons body or hair are readily removable and washable so that oil and other fluid elements generally entrained in the dryin air are filtered from the air and then washed from the filter.

Another object is to provide a drier which is so constructed that a minimum of heated air is exhausted to the surrounding atmosphere to conserve and fully utilize the heat applied without the ambient room temperature being raised ex.- cessively even when a number of driers are being used in the same room on a warm summer day.

A further object is to provide a drier which is so constructed that the user may materially shorten the drying period by manipulating the drier or moving her head therein to dispose damp spots in the hair in contact with a washable absorbent material through which air is passing so that the absorbent materal may act as a wick to carry moisture to a place remote from the hair for evaporation in air that is not in direct contact with the hair.

Another object is to provide a drier which is particularly effective in drying the lower portions of the hair, such as that as the nape of the neck and around the ears.

A further object is to provide a drier which is easy to maintain in a clean, fresh condition at all times without interrupting its use for successive customers in a beauty salon as well as repeated uses in the home.

A further object is toprovide a drier in which the eiiects of radiant energy given off by hot metal surfaces or the heating element are reduced to a minimum, thereby increasing the comfort of the user and reducing the danger of painful contacts.

Another object is to provide a drier which is compact in size when not in use so that it may be readily stored in a drawer or on a shelf in a small space, yet which completely encloses the full scalp oi hair when in operation without heated air coming in contact with the users-face.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will present themselves to those familiar with the art upon reading the following specification in conjunction with the appended claims and the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a, vertical section of a preferred embodiment of the drier of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 1, but taken at right angles thereto, illustrating the'upper part of the drier and showing partic- 3 ularly the construction of the electric motor and impeller;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a 55 of Fi 2;

Fig. 6 is a 6-6 of Fig, 2;

Fig. '7 is a schematic wiring diagram showing the preferred electrical circuit;

Fig. 8 is a schematic wiring diagram showing a circuit which may be employed when it is desired to use an adjustable temperature regulating thermostat; and

Fig. 9 is a wiring diagram of a circuit employing a thermostat and a switch which permits the fan motor to be energized with or without the heater element. The drier III of this invention comprises an outer shell I an inner shell I2, an impeller I3, and a heating element I4. The impeller I3 and element I4 are disposed between the two shells. The shells II and I2 are substantially bell-shaped or semi-spherical but do not extend downwardly to enclose the sides of the head as is the case in conventional driers. To enclose the head, a fabric skirt I5 is provided whose upper end is detachably attached to the periphcry of the outer shell. The lower end of the skirt has an elastic band I6 which serves as a drawstring in a shirr tube to hold the margin of the skirt tightly against the head of the user just below the hair line, thereby preventing leakage of heated air out of the drier around the face and neck of the user. The skirt I5 is preferably constructed of tightly woven material such as nylon or poplin so as to allow no more than a very little air leakage.

In the drawings, the skirt I5 is shown to be cylindrical in shape, having a flat circular bottom. If desired, however, the lower part of the skirt may be cut on an incline so as to conform more closely to the hair line of the user. A particular advantage of the skirted construction is that the user may position the elastic band either above or below her ears. This is particularly desirable since some people are greatly annoyed by the air pulsations produced by the impeller and motor or by the high temperature air as it passes over the cars which, of course, are not cooled by the evaporation of moisture as is the scalp.

The inner shell 2 has substantially the same shape as the outer shell I I, being slightly smaller, however, so as to fit inside thereof and provide a circular opening through which warmed air is injected into the drying compartment to follow a cylindrical path determined by the skirt I 5. A number of circumferentially spaced brackets 20 are spot welded to the outer shell and support the inner shell therein, and can be so dimensioned. or positioned that the two shells define either a circular air passage of uniform width or of varying width if the shells are secured eccentrically.

In order to permit servicing of the impeller I3 or the heating element III, the inner shell preferably carries none of the moving elements and is attached to the brackets 20 merely by self-tapping screws rather than by spot welding. Its removal exposes all working parts in their working positions. Moreover, the brackets are elongated in an axial direction to form vanes horizontal section taken on line horizontal section taken on line horizontal section taken on line which prevent swirl in the ejected air and cause it to flow straight outwardly along the skirt I5.

The lower edge of each of the shells II and I2 is flanged slightly outwardly as indicated at El and 22, respectively, and a slight bead is provided above each flange. The flange 2! on the outer shell I I prevents the skirt I5 from being pulled off the periphery of the shell II and permits the drawstring 22 which passes through the shirr tube formed in the top of the skirt I5 to be pulled up tightly so that the skirt it maybe firmly tied to the shell II. If desired, once the drawstring is tied, the skirt can he slipped off and on over the motor end of the shell without untying the drawstring.

The flange 22 on the lower end of the inner shell I2 is used to support a circular piece of absorbent material 23 such as Turkish toweling or terry cloth which spans the mouth of the shell I2. The circumference of this piece is hemmed to provide a shirr tube which accommodates a drawstring 24 so that the toweling 23 may be securely tied to the shell. The toweling 23, being flexible, assumes the shape shown in Fig. 1 when a persons head is pressed against it, same being drawn up into the shell I 2 by the air stream when the impeller I3 is rotating and the drier is supported over the users head with the skirt I5 held about the head by the elastic I6.

The toweling 23 performs two functions: First, it serves as a yieldable relatively cool surface against which the user may move her head in order to aid in drying the hair so that the toweling absorbs water and other volatile substances therefrom. This relative movement may be effected either by moving the drier Ii] by means of the handles 25, or by the user moving her head within the drier, or both. Second, the absorbent fabric 23 serves as a wick conducting moisture from the hair to a place remote where the moisture is evaporated, or it blots moisture from the hair and is quickly dried as soon as the hair has been moved momentarily out of contact therewith. The heated air flows through the cloth 23 over its whole area, same being drawn through a plurality of openings 26 at the top of the shell I2 to be recirculated through the impeller I3 and heater I I. In the preferred embodiment an extra ring of the cloth is stitched to the cloth 23 to provide an extra thickness around the margin so that air flow is accelerated through the center portion, thereby driving more air through the hair adjacent the central portion. Not only this, but the cloth eliminates any possibility of hair being drawn into the fan.

The impeller I3 is driven by an electric motor 2'! which is bolted to the top of the outer shell II. The motor 2? is enclosed by a cap or cover 28 which completely surrounds the motor, leaving ample room for the passage of fresh air over the motor for cooling the motor and warming the air going to the heater. A plurality of openings 39 are provided in the top of the cap 23 so that air from outside the drier may now readily into the space within the cap 28. A second plurality of openings SI are provided in the top of the shell II so that air may flow from the chamber 23 to the impeller I3. The impeller I3 is attached to the end of the armature shaft 32 so as to rotate between the two shells in close proximity to the openings 28 and El. The impeller I3 is a conventional radially bladed impeller except that the blades thereof are slightly curved so as to run more quietly.

Surrounding the impeller it, :a plurality of ceramic:insulators Mare supported by U-shaped lengths :of wire .orrhoops B which-.proje-ctthrough openings in the outer shell H and are reversely bent to hold the insulators 3d firmly in place.

The edges oftheiinsulators :are slightly recessed to receive the homes 35. The heating element it extends from :oneinsulatorto the next to form a polygon surrounding the impeller as shown in lhis element may be in the form of a loosely coiled length of Chromel or 'Nichrome Fig. "3.

resistance wire.

When the heater isoperation, air is drawn into the impeller through the openings '25 and 3| fronith space within'the inner shell i2 and the 1 space surrounding the motor '22. forces this air readily outwardly over the coil M The impeller where its temperature is raised. The air then 'flowsdown thespace'betwcen the two shells and blows into the space formed between the users head and the skirt l5.

low the surface of the skirt until it strikes the hair 'just above the point at which the lower ed e or the skirt is secured to the head by the elastic band i5. This insures that the hair at the nape of the neck, which is normally the last to dry, will be thoroughly dried. From this point the air mores upwardly through the hair towards the toweling '23, passing through the toweling and again through the openings to be recirculated. Any moisture which may have ben absorbed by the toweling tends to evaporate into the flowing air stream.

If no air escaped from the drier, .the air temperature and humid; would increase until either the "heat was too great for comfort or the humidity became so great that further drying would be seriously hampered. However, the nylon skirt .2 ii is sufficiently porous that a part of theair passes through it instead of being recirculated. make-up air flows into the drier as required through the openings 3%! and in the cap 28 and the outer shell H. It has been .found by experi ment that the amount of leakage which occurs in drier constructed like that shown in .the

drawings is just sufhcient so that speed-y drying occurs at a comfortable temperature even when a r latively small heating element it is employed.

In order that the hair drier maybe readily supportedina position, a bracket 3'5 is pr' a vided which attached. to the outer shell 52 as shown in '2. This bracket is :U-shaped and has a pair of Openings 38 which are slipped over a pin attached to a ball and socket joint (not shown) carried by a clamp. The clamp may be attached to the back of'a chair, a standard, a door, or any other fined point so that the drier may be supported convenient height over 'a chair. Elie hall and socket joint permits the drier to be moved to desired angle for comfortable use or .mostefiicient drying.

It is preferred to connect the :electric motor 2'? and the heating element M in parallel as shown in Fig. '7 so that both are energized when the cord is plugged into the house circuit and the control switch so (Fig. 2) is closed. Thus, the motor will always be running whether the heater is on or oh. This switch is preferably lo cated between the inner and outer shells near the bottom thereof so as to be as far away from the heatingelem'ent as possible. If desired, atherrmostat 4.! .may be incorporatedinto the circuit in series with the heater M to control the air-temperature and .shut ofi the heating element M when the air temperature becomes too high, as shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. '9, a wiring circuit is shown which is similar to the circuit of Fig. 8 except that an additional switch 32 is provided which permits the motor 21 to be run independentlyor tneheating element $512 in the event that cold air dryingis desired.

,From the foregoing it will be readily apparent to those familiar with the art that a greatly improved and novel 'hair drier has been provided which fulfills "the objects of this invention. Al-

though but asingle embodiment has been shown, 'it will be appreciated that the novel features of this invention may be adapted to other types of hair .driers'and thatcertain elements in the dis closed embodiments may be replaced by various equivalents without departing from the spirit of this invention whose scope is defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

,1. In a hair drier, the combination including an outer shell, an inner shell supported within the outer shell to form an air passage therebetween, the lower edge of the inner shell being below the edge of the outer shell, 2. flexible skirt attached to the lower edge of the outer shell, a

piece of absorbent'fabric supported on the lower edge of the inner shell and spanning the mouth thereof, and. means for supplying heated air to the air passage between the shells.

2. In a hair drier, the combination including an outer shell, "an inner 'shell sup-ported within the outer shell in spaced relationship to define an air passage therebetween, the lower edge of the inner shell being below the edge of the outer shell, a flexible skirt attached to the lower edge of the outer'shell, and a piece of absorbent fabric supported on the lower ed e of the inner shell spanning the :mouth thereof, means at the bottom of the skirt for holding the lower edge thereof contact with the users head below the hairline, and means for circulating heated air through the passage "between the two shells, through the spaee enclosed bv the skirt and into .the interior of the inner shell.

3. In a "hair drier, the combination including outer shell. an inner shell supported within theouter shellto form an air passage therehetween. a rotary varied impeller disposed between said two shells. each of said shells being perforated to'provide air passageways in the vicinity of the impeller and the'lower edge of the innershell being below'the edeeo'f the outer shell, a "flexible'rskirt :attach'edto the lower ed e oi the outer-shell. a niece of absorbent fabric supported on the lower ed e of the inner shell and spanning :them-outh thereof.

,4. In 'a 'hair drier. the combination includin an outer-shell. inner shell sup orted within the outer-sh'ell'to form an "air pas age the r-abetween. the lower edge of the inner she l being be o the ed e. of the Outer shall. a flexible skirt attached to-the lower edge of the outer shell, a piece of absorbent :fahric supported on the lower edge of the inner shell and spanning the mouth thereof, and a rotarv vaned impeller for inducing a stream of air to flow downwardly between the two shells.

5. In a hair drier, the combination including an outer shell, an inner shell supported within the outer shell to form an air passage therebetween, the lower edge of the inner shell being below the edge of the outer shell, a flexible skirt attached to the lower edge of the outer shell, a piece of absorbent fabric supported on the lower edge of the inner shell and spanning the mouth thereof, a rotary vaned impeller for inducing a stream of air flow downwardly between the two shells, and means at the bottom of the flexible skirt for securing same about the users head.

6. In an electric hair drier having an impeller and heating element for creating an air stream, a substantially flat piece of toweling through which the air stream passes and against which the head may be pressed to aid in drying same and means for supporting the edges of said toweling in a fixed position whereby the head may be moved over the surface of the toweling during drying.

7. In ahair drier, the combination including an outer shell, an inner shell supported within the outer shell to form an air passage therebe tween, a piece of absorbent fabric supported on the lower edge of the inner shell and spanning the mouth thereof, and a rotary vaned impeller for inducing a stream of air to flow upwardly through the fabric and downwardly between the two shells.

3. In a hair drier, the combination including an outer shell, an inner shell supported within the outer shell to form an air passage therebetween, the lower edge of the inner shell being below the edge of the outer shell, a flexible skirt attached to the lower edge of the outer shell, a piece of absorbent fabric supported on the lower edge of the inner shell and spanning the mouth thereof, a rotary vaned impeller for inducing a stream of air to flow downwardly between the two shells, and a heating element disposed in the path of said air stream as it emerges from the impeller.

9. In a hair drier, the combination including an outer shell, an inner shell supported within the outer shell to form an air passage therebetween, a flexible skirt attached to the lower edge of the outer shell, a piece of absorbent fabric supported on the lower edge of the inner shell and spanningthe mouth thereof, a rotary vaned impeller for inducing a stream of air to flow downwardly etween the two shells, and a heating element disposed'in the path of said air stream.

10. In a hair drier, the combination including an outer shell, an inner shell supported within the outer shell to form an air passage therebetween, the lower edge of the inner shell being below the edge of the outer shell, a flexible skirt attached to the lower edge of the outer shell, a piece of absorbent fabric supported on the lower edge of the inner shell and spanning the mouth thereof, a rotary vaned impeller for inducing a stream of air to flow downwardly between the two shells, and a circular heating element surrounding'the impeller and disposed in the path of said air stream as it emerges from the'impeller, said shells being perforated in the vicinity of the impeller to permit air to flow through said shells to the impeller. 7

11. In a hair drier the combination including an outer shell, an inner shell supported within the outer shell to form an air passage therebetween, the outer edge of said inner shell extending beyond the edge of the outer shell, means for supplying a flow of warm air to said passage, and a flexible skirt attached to the lower edge of the outer shell, the point of attachment being substantially above the lower edge of the inner shell with the inner shell extending into the flexible skirt beyond the outer shell whereby air is caused to flow down the sides of the skirt to insure its reaching the lower portions of the head of hair being dried.

12. In a hair drier the combination including an outer shell, an inner shell having diverging walls marginally around its outer edge and supported within the outer shell in spaced relationship to form an air passage therebetween with the outer edge of said inner shell extending beyond the outer edge of the outer shell, means for inducing a flow of air through said passage, a flexible skirt attached to the lower edge of the outer shell, and means at the bottom of the skirt for drawing the lower end thereof about the users head below the hair line, the point of attachment of the skirt to the outer shell being substantially above the lower edge of the inner shell whereby air is directed by said diverging wall to flow along the sides of the skirt to insure its reaching the lower portions of the users hair.

13. In a hair drier the combination including an outer substantially semi-spherical shell, an inner shell supported within the outer shell in spaced relationship to form an air passage therebetween the outer edges of the inner shell extending with diverging walls beyond the edge of the outer shell, a rotary vaned impeller disposed between said two shells, each of said shells be ing perforated in the vicinity of the impeller, and a flexible skirt attached to the lower edge of the outer shell, the point of attachment being substantially above the edge of the inner shell whereby air is caused to leave the air passage along diverging lines to flow down the sides of the skirt to reach the lower parts of the users hair.

14. In a hair drier the combination including a substantially flat circular piece of absorbent material, means for supporting the periphery of said piece of material to hold same in a fixed position in said drier, and means for causing a heated air stream to flow through said piece of material, the piece being so disposed that the head may be pressed into contact therewith and moved with respect thereto to facilitate drying of the hair.

FRED C. SCHWANEKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 7 Date 1,796,384 McElroy Mar. 17, 1931 2,138 333 Martin Nov. 29, 1938 2,244,953 Klingensmith June '10, 1941 2,263,418 Ganim Nov. 18, 1941 2,527,745 Lawrence Oct. 31, 1950 

